Message from the Chair, Board of Directors

For the last 13 years, LHSC has been focused on building and enhancing the “bricks and mortar” of our organization to improve our facilities for better patient care. As we near the end of the largest health care restructuring project in our history, your Board of Directors and I are excited to renew our focus on our people — patients and their families and our staff, physicians and volunteers.

This is a time for new beginnings at London Health Sciences Centre. Our new president and chief executive officer, Bonnie Adamson, has been leading LHSC since November and we are already realizing the benefits of her experience and vision.

During our CEO search process, we were looking for an individual who would drive the quality and people agenda; someone who could move LHSC beyond the years of building and restructuring and focus on improved access, quality, and patient and staff satisfaction. I know that with Bonnie’s proven track record at other hospitals, LHSC will achieve — and hopefully exceed — the targets set out in our Quality Improvement Plan which outlines LHSC’s goal to become one of the safest teaching hospitals in Canada. Focused on eliminating preventable harm and improving access to care, we aim to significantly reduce our hospital infection rates, improve hospital mortality rates and shorten the length of time patients spend in our emergency departments.

Our CEO recruitment was conducted in close collaboration with St. Joseph’s Health Care, London (St. Joseph’s) who was also recruiting their new president and chief executive officer, Dr. Gillian Kernaghan. While each organization has returned to a separate CEO model, we remain committed to our close collaboration and partnership. LHSC and St. Joseph’s have been leaders in system integration and both boards of directors are committed to continue that journey together.

The board is also committed to enhancing a positive and healthy workplace environment. To that end, our Organizational Culture Committee of the Board is currently being restructured to support Bonnie Adamson’s efforts to transform LHSC’s organizational culture. Maintaining a healthy work environment for staff, physicians and volunteers remains a key priority for the board so that those individuals can focus their efforts on providing the best care possible to our patients.

On behalf of our patients and our hospital I am pleased to recognize the amazing contributions of the London Health Sciences Foundation and Children’s Health Foundation, their staff, volunteers and donors. With the tremendous support of London Health Sciences Foundation, LHSC saw two major research centres open their doors this past year. The Lindros Legacy Research building, made possible by a $5-million transformational gift from Eric Lindros, will accelerate the development of our programs and research capabilities by several years. Similarly, the opening of the Gerald C. Baines Centre for Translational Cancer Research in September provides LHSC with a state-of-the-art research facility dedicated to the fight against cancer, bridging the gap between scientific discovery and patient care.

Our research efforts at Lawson Health Research Institute are done in partnership with St. Joseph’s. Lawson has completed its most successful year in external grant achievement by our scientists and researchers. With research assets exceeding $100 million, Lawson is one of Canada’s leading and most productive hospital-based research institutes.

I have been fortunate to have served London Health Sciences Centre for more than 25 years in a number of capacities — as a board member, a foundation board member, an advisor and a volunteer. I have also been both a patient and a caregiver. I have experienced the excellent and dedicated care of our staff and physicians, providing me with a unique perspective and an appreciation for the transformational change we are now undertaking. At the heart of it all is our people, the wonderful, kind and caring staff, physicians and volunteers who are here because they want to make a difference in the lives of those we serve. It is because of them that serving as Chair of London Health Sciences Centre is an honour and gives me great satisfaction and pride.